Sunday, August 30, 2009

“What If…..?”

Have you ever not treated someone well and then immediately regretted it, wishing you could have the opportunity back?

In the wake of someone’s death, have you ever heard someone speak of the regret they feel for not treating the deceased better, for not gettideng to know them more, or for what the last thing they ever said to them was?

OK, so maybe that last example was on the depressing side, but I’d like to share a bit about something I’ve been thinking about lately, now that I’m moved in and settled at K-State. This has been fueled by a quote by Anna Cummins, which reads, "Do not save your loving speeches for your friends until they are dead. Do not write them on their tombstones. Say them rather now instead."

One of the top lines of my Personal Mission Statement reads, “Treat family and friends as though you’ll never see them again.” Morbid, maybe. Words to live by, in my opinion. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been frustrated about something, held it in for as long as I can, and then proceded to take out my exasperations on those that I love most, my family and friends. I know I’m not the only one.

So why do we do this? Well, I’ve been asking myself that question for a long time. All I do know is that it’s something I wish didn’t happen. That’s why, when writing my Mission Statement, I decided to include such a line.

In the end, no one wants to think about actually never seeing their family or friends again, but that’s not the ultimate focus of my goal. Rather, this simple statement refers to a manner of treating others that is ALWAYS right. After all, in today’s world, the unthinkable could happen at any time, and that’s why I’m trying to make this, along with the golden rule, a priority in my life.